Diane Vespa thinks so:
It is your RIGHT and OBLIGATION to keep your assessments fair and reasonable. I have contacted the Peoria Journal Star and the Times Observer to do some reporting on this subject, as I have found it to be an issue that is very significant, yet under-reported, and therefore, leaves the average Peorian ignorant of the process and helpless to the whims of the Township Assessors. Neither news media has responded. So, I leave it to the blogging and internet community work their grass roots magic and get the word out to help our fellow Peorians!
It’s certainly a worthy story. Over the years I’ve seen articles about individuals and corporations who are battling for lower assessments. But have there been articles about a tendency in Peoria toward too-high assessments? I don’t recall any.
Anyway, this is a good post about how to make an appeal. But what can be done — should anything be done — about the process by which property is assessed?
Not that long ago, C.J. Summers ran a piece on land value taxation, in which the the value of the land alone is taxed, not the improvements which have been done to your property, or even your neighbors. That way, when a guy down the street builds a deck or sells for more than it’s worth your taxes don’t skyrocket for no good reason.
Of course, adopting this system would screw everything up for politicians. The current system lets city councils, school districts, etc. claim they are holding the line on taxes because the rates don’t increase, when they know full well people will be paying more taxes because private property continually rises in assessed value.
Billy Dennis is a former reporter and editor at small daily and weekly newspapers in Illinois and Missouri. He comments on media, news and politics. He also owns and operates 
“sells for more than it’s worth ”
There is no such thing.
It might be more than you are willing to pay but that is different than ‘worth’. The price is worth it to someone.
Hey Billy, thanks for the shout out. The Times Observer will be doing a story on this in their next issue. Thanks again. Oh, additionally, we will be doing a TAX PROTEST WORKSHOP Monday night at 7:00pm at the RE/MAX office, corner of War Memorial and Knoxville. Please make reservations to attend by calling 687-4960. We will explain and provide all the forms you need to complete your appeal.
Mahkno: I would have though the phrase “more than it’s worth” would have implied an subjective standard. Sorry.
Diane: Give ‘em hell.